The Irishman has been restricted to just one Premier League start for the Whites this season, and mainly featured in the Europa League.

However, Kelly could be given a run of games at right-back after Grygera was ruled out for six months with cruciate ligament damage sustained in Sunday's defeat against Spurs.

And the 28-year-old insists he's ready to fill the void.

He said: “The Europa League has given me the chance to play and put myself in the window to show what I can do.

“Hopefully that will continue on to the Premier League. The games I've played, against Manchester City and Blackburn, I felt they were two of our best performances, so to be able to perform at that level is great.

“Any game I'm getting I'm just trying to show what I'm capable of doing.”

Kelly and Fulham team-mate Damien Duff are preparing for one of the biggest games of their lives tonight as the Republic of Ireland take on Estonia in the Euro 2012 play-offs.

And the defender admits it would be the highlight of his career to help his country into the finals of a major tournament.

“These games are huge for our country,” he added. “Getting to the Europa League final with Fulham was amazing, but to get to a major tournament with our country would be fantastic.

“I've spent my whole life watching Ireland, so to have a chance to go there myself would be amazing. The country's in a bit of a bad way so qualifying would give everybody a boost.”